Heart Disease Topic At Luncheon

There are a variety of exercise classes designed just for seniors being offered throughout the community. Check with the Senior Circle, Senior Center, college, Tonto Apache Recreation Center and health clubs to find the class that fits your needs best or try the free program at Rim Country Health and Retirement offered Saturday mornings.

Holly Crump, director of the Arizona Rural Women’s Health network, will facilitate a discussion at the next Senior Circle Lunch and Learn Series on Wednesday, Feb. 10. The event is at 11 a.m. and a light lunch will be served.

Information about the heart and circulatory system and additional health and community resources will be available to participants. The event is free and open to all Senior Circle members.

Crump will speak on the “Heart of the Matter.” Heart disease is the No. 1 health problem that shortens our lives and limits our life experience. In addition to health education needed to manage or prevent heart disease, we also benefit from spiritual and emotional information. Participants will learn about the relationship between the emotional, spiritual, and physical worlds and how that relationship impacts our health.

To reserve a spot at this informative event call (928) 472-9290.

Branson trip deadline

Members of the Payson Regional Health Outreach Facility and Senior Circle, 215 N. Beeline Highway, are urged to make reservations for a special Payson Senior Circle 2010 Anniversary Event — a trip to Branson, Mo., May 15 through May 23.

The event is open to Senior Circle members and their guests. The price is $709 per person double occupancy.

The event includes motor coach transportation, eight nights lodging, 14 meals, and admission to seven fabulous Branson shows. A deposit of $109 is required by Feb. 15, so hurry up and reserve your seat now by signing up at the Senior Circle office. Call (92) 472-9290 for more information.

Member lunch

The Senior Circle Member Lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17. This will be a Valentine’s lunch with pork tenderloin, mixed vegetables, rolls, chocolate candies and cherry crunch for dessert. The cost is $4 per person.

Health fair

More than 70 people attended the Senior Circle Health Fair held on Thursday, Jan. 28 at the Senior Circle building.

Twice a year, the Senior Circle offers the health fair and provides free blood screening and blood pressure checks for its members. The blood screening includes checking cholesterol, blood sugar levels and the PSA tests for men.

The next Health Fair will be in October. To take advantage of free blood screening and blood pressure checks sign up as a member of the Senior Circle.

Loan Closet

The Senior Circle Medical Loan Closet is in need of wheelchairs. The Senior Circle offers a free medical loan closet where any resident of the Rim Country can borrow, medical equipment such as: wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, bedside commodes, canes and crutches. If you have a wheelchair you are not using, please bring it to the Senior Circle office at 215 N. Beeline Highway. Or, if you are in need of any medical equipment, please check out our loan closet.

The Senior Circle is also in need of a volunteer who can assist us in repairing and renovating medical equipment.

About volunteers

The Senior Circle Volunteers play such a critical role in the operation of the Senior Circle program and there is a need for more.

We are in need of front office help and can also use someone with computer skills.

If you like to garden, we need someone who would enjoy keeping our patio area blooming with beautiful plants and flowers.

Ilona Swenson is one of the Senior Circle’s outstanding volunteers, so she has been named Volunteer of the Week.

We don’t know how she does it, but with the assistance of Judy Haas and Geri Bacon, Ilona manages our membership of close to 1,700 members. She completes all data entry for both new and renewing members, issues all identification cards, processes the payments and at the same time keeps all the records straight. Ilona has been serving as a volunteer at the Circle for almost four years.

Ilona and her husband Jon also prepare the meals for our membership lunch and often our lunch and learn program as well.

Ilona is a doll. We all thank you for all you do.

Social events

Do you love the theater or concerts but don’t want to go alone. The Senior Circle is forming an interest group of those who would enjoy attending theatrical events at the Broadway Palms in the Phoenix area.

Some of the upcoming shows include “Nunsense,” Irving Berlin’s “I Love a Piano” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.”

If there is enough interest, group discounts on tickets to these shows may apply. If you are interested in joining a group, please call the Senior Circle office at (928) 482-9290.

We are also forming an interest group that would like to join others in attending the Tonto Community Concerts. Upcoming shows include Daniel Rodriquez, Rudolph Budginas and the Hunt Family Fiddlers.

Merchant Discount Program

The Senior Circle welcomes R&D Tires to our Merchant Discount Program. R&D Tires is a new and used tire service located at 3902 E. Highway 260 in Star Valley. R&D offers Senior Circle members 10 percent off a set of four new tires.

Members of the Senior Circle receive many discounted benefits both nationally and locally. To start receiving these discounts, join the Senior Circle now.

Featured doctor

Big thanks to Dr. Darnell for speaking at our last lunch and learn. Dr. Darnell is new to the Payson Regional Medical Center staff and specializes in orthopedics. He spoke to a group of 16 of our members regarding his specialty. He also opened the forum to questions and answers.

Recently a few of the Senior Circle volunteers were introduced to the new marketing director of Payson Regional Medical Center, Bo Larsen. Larsen shared with the group his role in and support of the Senior Circle program.

The Senior Circle is an organization that improves lives of people 50 and better. Members enjoy fellowship and activities, hospital benefits, health education, parties, travel, local and national discounts and much more for only $15 a year.

The Payson Chapter of Senior Circle is sponsored by the Payson Regional Medical Center.